From Our Correspondent
TURA: Agitating NGOs of Garo Hills under the Joint Action Committee banner have threatened to launch non co-operation movements in South and East Garo Hills districts next week over the Daribokgre dam issue which has become a bone of contention between NGOs and the Meghalaya Government.
“We will not hesitate to launch an NCM after conclusion of our two nights of road blockade next week because the government is refusing to cancel the Daribokgre dam project,” informed the new JAC president Silseng G Momin while speaking to The Shillong Times on Friday evening.
The JAC is calling for a night road blockade from 7 PM to 5 AM on Monday and Tuesday, next week. The blockade is being enforced in South and East Garo Hills through which the coal laden trucks from Nangalbibra pass into Assam.
On completion of the blockade the agitating groups are threatening to intensify their protest with closures. “We will announce the dates of NCM after completion of the blockade,” warned the JAC president.
The student and social organizations of East and south Garo Hills came together to form the JAC to pressure the Meghalaya Government to dismantle the Daribokgre dam and cancel the project to divert its water to towns.
The JAC is apprehensive that diverting of the water from Daribokgre would result in the Simsang river drying up gradually since it happens to be one of its tributaries supplying fresh water.
On Friday afternoon the JAC completed their two days of sit-in demonstration protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office at Williamnagar.
The protest was joined in by several traders and shopkeepers who downed their shutters to join the demonstration.
“They voluntarily came to join our protest and it is very encouraging and has boosted everyone’s morale,” claimed the JAC president.
Earlier, the JAC reshuffled its leadership ahead of next week’s night road blockade. The JAC has replaced its president Taison D Shira of the All India Garo Union with Silseng G Momin of the ASCOT organization. The other JAC leaders who have taken charge are Jintu Marak of the FAF as vice president, Sengsin Marak of Simsang River Protection and Development Committee as JAC general secretary, Sengseng Marak of FKJGP as joint secretary, and Rockyfeller N Sangma of the GSU as JAC publicity secretary.